Blind students compete in Technology Olympics (w/video)

Paden McDonald, 12, holds a Bop it! Tetris game close to his face so he can see the lights and colors at the Victoria Karate Academy on Thursday. Paden has optic nerve hypoplasia, meaning that his optic nerve never fully developed. He can see lights, colors and shapes.

To Learn More

To learn more about what services the state provides for blind or visually impaired students, visit the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services website or contact your local Division for Blind Services office. Find the center nearest you by calling 1-800-628-5115.

Source: Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services

OLYMPIC GAME RESULTS

Here are the results of the Region III Education Service Center's Technology Olympic Games for the blind and visually impaired:

iPad (beginning)

• First - Katie Pratt

• Second - Scott Appelt

iPad (intermediate)

• First - Asa Padilla

• Second - Byron Powell

Abacus (beginning)

• First - Case Beken

Abacus (intermediate)

• First - Paden McDonald

CCTV/video magnifier (beginning)

• First - Ja'Liesha Nathaniel

CCTV/video magnifier (intermediate)

• First - Andrew Yeretsky

• Second - Elias Lopez

• Third - Stephanie Buesing and Jazmyne Williams

Calculator (intermediate)

• First - Amanda Ramos

Lightbox (beginning)

• First - Andrew Young

Notetaker (beginning)

• First - Case Beken and Paden McDonald

Telescope

• First - Stephanie Buesing

• Second - Victor Garcia

Magnifiers (beginning)

• First - John Pawlik

• Second - Felix Helveston

Magnifiers (intermediate)

• First - Amanda Ramos & Jazmyne Williams

• Second - Victor Garcia

iPadnonacademic (beginning)

• First - Andrew Young

• Second - La'Var Johnson

iPad nonacademic (intermediate)

• First - Andrew Yeretsky

Braille writers (beginning)

• First - Katie Pratt

• Second - Kyle Curtis

Braille writers (intermediate)

• First - Asa Padilla

Sequencing

• First - Scott Appelt

Source: Region III Education Resource Center

His eyes shifted left to right as Paden McDonald's fingers tapped the Braille keyboard inside the Region III Education Service Center.

McDonald was one of 19 competitors at the service center's first Technology Olympic Games for blind and visually impaired students from the 11 counties that Region III covers.